Second Chance
by Raven pair
Summary: Fills in the gaps in the series. All the greatets char.'s are present. Dumbledore, McGonnagal, Snape, Sirius, James, Lilly, Longbottoms, Lucius, Bloody Baron, NH Nick, Peeves, Voldemort, Riddle, etc. D's death
1. Many years ago

I am writing in between the sixth and seventh book. Hence, it can not be disproved until the next book comes out. Even when it does come out, if this theory does not match the novel, it is because Rowling is wrong… not me. I am perfect! I don't make mistakes. J.K. Rowling hinted at this throughout the last two books, and if she doesn't use this… she isn't the brilliant author, (well at least story-teller,) that we think she is. BTW, if in fact it is proven correct in the seventh book… you all owe me five dollars… Except for you. You're O.K.!

Many years ago;

"Expelliarmus!" Albus felt, more than saw the red lightening bolt whiz by his ear, landing ten feet in front of him, and throwing up a cloud of dirt. He stopped running, turned toward his countless pursuers and thought of Minerva.

"Expecto Patronum," he cried with all of his might, as a blue Phoenix shot out of the tip of his wand and hit the nearest of the attackers square in the face, knocking him into the others. Cries of pain, confusion, and "Protego", bounced off the gray stone walls, following him in his race.

He kept moving, praying that he wasn't too late; praying more that he was even going the right way. Two guards loomed up ahead; definitely the right way. A weasely-looking wizard shouted for him to stop as his broad-shouldered companion, barely fitting into his loose robe, reached into his pocket. Dumbledore didn't even stop, he just raised his wand, ignoring the incantations they sent bouncing off the walls, and muttered "Incarcerous".

Ropes crept out of the floorboards and engulfed the guards, like a large carnivorous vine. Before they even dropped their wands, Dumbledore was past them, forcing the heavy metal door open with "Alohomora". What the young professor saw before him, grayed his hair instantly and finally made him stop short.

Two silhouettes were standing over a dying man…Tellius. Rage burned inside of him as the door swung closed behind him, and none but the third man turned to look. A smile spread across his face, and then fell, as did his entire limp body. Gritting his teeth, Albus heard footsteps behind him, coming down the corridor, and scrambling over the fallen guards. Before he could conjure the spell, a hissing voice did it for him. "Colloportus" The door sealed behind him, as he himself was about to do. The footsteps crashed into the unmoving door, and continued to bash against it in frustration. The Death Eaters would have to wait for their meal until their master was done with him. They were scavengers anyway.

Looking around, Albus soaked in the room. It was straight out of a medieval torture chamber, with a burning torch chandelier in the center of the high rise ceiling. Directly below the flaming monstrosity, the hooded figures turned.

Dumbledore could make out their faces clearly now, and as expected he was staring into the dead eyes of his world-renowned ex-student. "Tom, stop this foolishness. Let Tellius Malfoy be the last victim of this war."

Tom Riddle turned away, and produced his wand, while his loathsome companion spoke. "Albus, why do you fight us?" Though relatively young, he had the raspy voice of a dying cancer patient. Spending time with the Dark Lord aged you quicker than a strong 'maturing incantation.' That's why the average lifespan of a Death Eater was three months. (That and the constant threat of Aurors, and even your own master, simultaneously.) "You know your side is weak. This world is in need of justice, and Tom…"

He was cut off by a livid Riddle. "What did you call me Aldous Black? What did you say you abhorrent worm of a man?"

"Lord… Master. I beseech you. Please forgive me." Kneeling, Black kissed Riddle's black ring, grimacing at the metallic, dead taste. Although it tasted like the blood he craved and lusted for, his thirst was unquenchable.

Aldous was Tom's newest servant. He was a lackey out to "destroy the mudbloods" and do 'God's work', or something. They all knew it was bullshit. To them, Tom was God. Soon, Black would be thrown away as a private servant, either to perish or join the Death Eater's growing ranks. But for now, as second in command, he was as much of a bodyguard as someone with Tom's immense power needed. Basically, he was a pet dog, out to bite the hand that fed him, when, (and if), he could.

Turning back to the body of Dumbledore's fallen comrade, Riddle shouted "Serpensortia". Nagini, Voldemort's most loyal snake, leapt from the tip of his wand. He cooed to it in that disgusting Parseltongue language, and it approached the corpse. For a split second it looked as though she was going to consume the body, engulfing the dead eyes of Dumbledore's friend and switching it for her own yellowing reptile eyes. Albus quickly tuned his gaze away in anticipated disgust.

"Valentendio Horcruxio." Before Dumbledore could stop it, Voldemort, Tellius, and Negini were all drenched in an eerie blue glow, coming from within them all. Half of a neon green translucent snake slithered from Riddle's chest; while a half of a red see-through serpent crawled from Tellius's dead lips. Floating in mid-air, they joined, and in a single motion, jumped into the body of Nagini.

It all took a fraction of a second, but standing there, transfixed at the spectacle, Dumbledore gaped. "You can't make an animal a Horcrux!"

Smiling slyly, Lord Voldemort turned to face him. He looked a little paler, and very weak. "If I thought we might meet again, I wouldn't have shown you how wrong you were about that. However, seeing as you only have a few moments left on this Earth," he raised his wand, pointing it into Dumbledore's face, "I thought I'd give you a nice farewell present. Nagini… Attack!"

Albus's half moon-spectacles snapped as he twirled his head around. Concentrating on Riddle's words, he had not seen the snake come up behind him. Nagini opened her mouth wide and leapt at the young wizard. A moment before his face could be ripped to shreds, Albus screamed, "Avis". A flock of birds shot from his wand, Fawkes among them, and tore at Nagini's scaly skin, hindering her attack.

"No, protect the snake Aldous!"

Black looked flustered, not sure if he should aim his wand at Dumbledore or the birds. Aggravated, as if to say 'it's hard to find good help these day', Lord Voldemort screamed, "Accio snake!"

"Nigini flew across the room toward the now hunched over Tom Riddle, and an instant later, they were gone in a puff of green smoke."

"It's just you and me now, professor." A sneer fell across Black's face, as he lunged with his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"

"Protego!"

The green light smashed into Dumbledore's magic barrier before bouncing away, back toward the attacker.

Aldous remained standing for a second, the sneer still pinned to his still face. He seemed to float there for an eternity, before his swaying legs and flailing arms dropped him to the ground, where he lay still, on top of Dumbledore's greatest friend. (He knew Tellius's son loathed him, and would blame him for the death, but that didn't matter now.) His worst enemy's servant lay atop his best friend in a dead heap at the center of the room, and Dumbledore broke down. He cried for the loss of his beloved friend, for all those suffering at the hands of the Death Eaters, and mostly over his loss of innocence. This was the first person, wizard or otherwise, that he had ever actually killed, (even as in this case, accidentally.) Black had underestimated Dumbledore's power. He was one of the few wizards, (Riddle included), strong enough to counter a killing curse.

The pounds on the door ceased suddenly; replaced with screams, and bugles playing the Auror anthem. The cavalry had arrived. A dragon roared behind the door and smoke sizzled through he cracks, making Dumbledore's eyes water. Growls and snarls of mythical beasts from both sides sounded, and he screams escalated. Wiping tears out of the corner of his eyes, (tears completely unrelated to the billowing smoke still spilling into the room), Dumbledore buried his head in his hands, and gently rocked back and forth while the screaming outside the door finally stopped. A victorious roar sounded from the Auror captain, Loriann Munchers, and was echoed throughout the hall by his team.

Rising on shaky limbs, Albus stared down at the dead Death Eater before him. Then glanced over at Fawkes, still flapping his wings and levitating at the professor's side; and his eyes fell back on the body.

"On an animal? I wonder…" Raising his wand, Dumbledore prayed this would one day be of use to him.


	2. Sacred Love

AN- Something weird happened with this doc. All apostrophe's and quotation marks were turned into a letter B with a box. However, if you try going back and clicking anywhere on Chap.1 and then go back to chap. 2, it will work out and look the right way.

AN- I've decided that I'm going to explain what happens in the gaps between stories, and holes in the plot that were never explained; mostly pre-Sorcerer's Stone. However, there are only two main gaps I am including, both primarily surrounding Dumbledore. First, is the Horcrux, and Dumbledore's "death" in the sixth book. Second is supposed to be a bit of a surprise, but it explains SOMEBODIE'S mom's birth, and how her daughter is still so powerful, even as a 'mudblood'. There are also little answers like how Sirius's and Lucius's parents are the opposite of them, and how their personalities and views differed, and also Lucius's reasons for loathing Dumbledore, simultaneously getting Draco to feel the same. I hope you enjoy and as always, PLEASE REVIEW! Special thanks to Black Winged Kitten for my first review and fave. It really meant a lot to me and brightened my day.

Sacred Love

The clean-shaven wizard arrived early the next morning. She heard him exhale softly in a happy sigh as he stared at her from the now-open door. Leaving it ajar, he walked away to the bathroom, quickly returning; far too exhausted to brush his teeth… even with magic. He had forgotten to turn off the hall light, and as he swung the door open again, a narrow and growing light spilled across the floor, illuminating the room. His tired eyes did not notice that she was awake and she assumed that was for the best. He didn't seem to want to talk, and she was perfectly willing to wait until the next morning. He collapsed into bed and crawled under the covers next to her, trying his best not to 'wake' her. He reached over to kiss her forehead, and before he could even pull his lips away, he was asleep; on top of her.

She sighed softly. The light was still on and she wouldn't be able to fall asleep with the eerie glow spilling in from the hall. Slowly, the woman shifted her companion's head off of her chest, where it had fallen, and, stretching, walked over to turn off the light. When she returned with a torch to guide her back to the room, she saw that the headmaster had taken up the full bed in a Christ-like pose; legs and arms spread out. He looked as though he was making angels in the yellowing bed spread that had been her mother's. Minerva rolled her eyes and thought again at how wrong it was to have relations with her boss. Well better that than a student, she chuckled.

With a wave of her wand, she transformed into beautiful black cat, and curled up on Dumbledore's chest; rising and falling with his rhythmic breathing. All was as it should be, and all was right with the world. This would change in a few days, but for now she was content. Five minutes later, dreams consumed her.

AN- A VERY short chapter. I've been really busy and haven't had time to put my ideas down on paper, so I just added this as a fall-between chapter, linking two together. It is the introduction of Minerva as Dumbledore's lover. However, it's a forbidden love, and as all readers know, forbidden loves never last. More to come. Submit reviews and tell me what you think of Minerva/ Dumbledore. Don't worry, I won't change anything from the real books… Just fill in some gaps.


	3. Help! Not a Beatle's reference

AN- I wasn't expecting to bring the Marauders and the characters' parents in here… but now I am. So sue me! Anyway, it gets a little weird, especially when I explain what the advice they need is. PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH! I am literally at school every period checking how many people reviewed or put me in favorites or looked at my story. I almost have 200 hits as of now, and only 4 reviews. Come on people, that's pathetic. I don't even care if their flames, as long as their constructive. Enjoy chap. 3. Chap 4 will be in soon!

He woke up at noon, only to find that he was alone. Minerva was gone, leaving behind only a trace of cat dander on his sleeping robes. He stood up in a panic, before calmly collapsing, having caught a glimpse of the clock. It was 12:03, time for McGonagall's Transfiguration for fifth-years course. She was probably in the middle of lecturing about the difference between turning an animate object inanimate and vice-versa. Or maybe she was attempting to turn James Potter back from the strange hybrid he no doubt turned himself into. He was always trying to impress Lilly Evans. In fact, he'd had to owl Charles and Dorea Potter twenty-three times since the term started earlier that year to inform them of their son's behavior.

Closing his eyes, Albus Dumbledore breathed out slowly. "Five more minutes…"

"But by then your breakfast will be cold!" A voice answered in a mock angry voice.

In an instant the wizard was up, wand pointed menacingly toward the source of the voice. He blinked in a pleased surprise and pulled back his wand. "Good morning to you too, honey," Minerva joked. "I had Marty Crooks watch the class today."

"Sorry, I had a rough night."

"Wanna talk about it champ?"

"Can you be serious for two minutes here?!?!"

McGonagall feigned a hurt tone. "But where's the fun in that Puddin' Pop?" More seriously, "you know, I never really had a sense of humor until we got together… and if anything ever happened to you, I doubt I would ever laugh or joke again." She took a long pause. "I love you."

Dumbledore smiled warmly like he was about to reply with a poetic professing of his soul. Instead, his welcoming smile faltered and was replaced with a small smirk. "Did you just… Did you call me 'puddin' pop'"?

"Now who's not being serious," Minerva laughed. They embraced in a long and passionate kiss. Slowly, their lips came apart, and their eyes opened. Dumbledore's smirk returned. "Albus…?"

Without another word, Dumbledore threw her onto the bed. Cries of "your breakfast is going to be cold" and howls of love-possessed and euphoric laughter filled the afternoon air.

At about 12:45, the students still in the north tower of the castle witnessed all of the torches dim, and the ground shift under them for a fraction of a second. They dismissed it as a minor headache, and went to see Madame Pomfrey. However, directly downstairs, young Arthur Weasely and the love of his life, Molly, (two seventh years,) knew immediately what the ruckus really meant. They had a similar experience several years ago when they conceived their first child, and again in the following year.

The last two children they had were a bit of a surprise. Arthur initially thought Molly still had the weight from the past children. However, her "mother's intuition" proved her husband wrong when she insisted she was pregnant again. Actually she proved him wrong doubly, as later that year she birthed twin red heads. Fellow students like Severus Snape, a fifth year, thought it was disgusting for two young people to consummate a love at such an immature age. Others, like the fourth year, Lucius Malfoy, described the couple as "breeding rats". Yet, despite all the negativity, the future Weasely's couldn't be happier nor more in love. They had the perfect family.

It was Mr. Weasely who felt the ground move and pulled back from the embrace they were in… "Bloody 'ell Molly. Not another one!"

"What? It's not me! We're just kissing, plus I'm already three months pregnant!"

"Well the only other people in the building are…" They both looked up at the ceiling, mouths agape in awkward smiles. "Looks like the future Ronald Weasely will have a new friend in the castle!"

"Is that what we're naming 'im now? Ronald? And what if it's a girl?"

"Either way its name's Ronald!" Arthur laughed, and wrapped his arm around Molly once more. She giggled uncontrollably for several seconds, closing her eyes and cackling away.

When she realized Arthur had ended the embrace, Molly's eyes shot open and glazed over at the now blinding light. "Turn that wand off," she barked.

"Oh, sorry. I thought we'd find you here. ". The light at the tip of the intruder's wand died down, revealing two women and four men staring transfixed on the snuggling couple. "Umm… Sorry to interrupt," the girl with the fading wand mumbled, obviously embarrassed.

"Oh, that's okay, we were just finishing up, weren't we Arty?"

Arthur smiled warmly, "sure we were… Hey I recognize you guys. Shouldn't you be in a class or something?"

The girl with the wand stepped forward. "Molly… Arthur… We need some advice."

The red-headed couple slowly turned their eyes to each other, initially concerned, and then laughing hysterically when their pupils met. "Us? You, Goody-two-shoes Lilly Evans, need OUR help?!"

Lilly's cheeks flushed red, and she turned to the boy to her right for help. He looked like he had switched his hair for a mop head. "Oh, Potter," Arthur chimed in, "you and Lilly finally got together? Congratulations!"

This time James spoke up. "Lilly and I have been together for almost a year now, and I have never felt so warm inside. It's like, like… like…"

"Like your life is complete and you will never feel heartbreak again?" Molly finished, questioningly.

"Exactly," Lilly and James replied at the same time.

Arthur touched Molly's arm and addressed all of them. "What about the rest of you? What are you doing here?"

Sirius stepped forward, saluting the older wizards, and snickering, "moral support, sir!"

"I didn't mean you, Black. You and Potter are pretty much inseparable."

"Thank you sir! I try my best sir! Permission to speak… sir?!"

"Permission denied Sirus! Now drop and give me fifty you little maggot!"

The last voice came from a portly and chuckling figure behind him. It was a boy from the last couple. "Sorry. My name is Frank Longbottom, and this is Alice," he nodded toward his plump companion, who curtseyed in turn.

"I don't believe we've met," Alice began, "but Lilly seemed to think you could help us all."

Arthur looked towards the black silhouette of a cowering boy. He was engulfed in the dim light of the torches and could not be seen clearly, but he was the only one unaccounted for.

"And who might you be then," Molly inquired. The shadowy figure stood rigid and stepped forward, towards the group.

"I… I overheard Evans talking to Frank, and followed them here. I have a… I have a similar problem." Coming into the light and out of the murky gloom, the shadow revealed itself to be none other than Lucius Malfoy. Arthur ran toward him, ready to punch him square in the face, however something made him stop short.

"Lucius… Were you…were you just crying?!?!"

Malfoy turned his head away in obvious embarrassment. He succumbed back into he shadows and sat, revealing two red eyes in the darkness, soaking in the entire conversation. This time Sirius broke the silence, "his dad never came home last night, same as my crazy father."

"He was killed!" Lucius was back on his feet, red in the face and punching the wall. "Dumbledore is a traitor! He killed my father. He betrayed the aurors!"

"Oh shut up. At least your dad stands up for what's right. The professor didn't kill him; he's probably just on some secret mission. That's where my father is. He's a moron, following at the Dark Lord's heals like the rotten dog he is!"

"I swear… I will never…ever…join the aurors. If siding with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will help take revenge on Dumbledore, then so be it!" He sat back down in the corner, breathing heavily, red in the face, and wiping streams of hysterical tears from his eyes.

They all spoke amongst themselves for several seconds before Arthur called them back to order. "Hold on. You all came here for advice. Well, what can Molly and I possibly help you with?"

AN- I know the Weasely thing is weird. But I love the char's and the parents. Anyway, please please please review!!!!


	4. You'll never believe it

AN- Back for chapter 4. Did you like the torches dimming thing? Afterwards I thought it felt a little like the original village of the damned. Anyway, to ease your mind about young sex, let me say this now… WIZARDS HAVE SEX BY KISSING! That's right; the act of impregnating a wizard is by simply kissing each other…With tongue! No, I'm just kidding, but if it'll help you deal with it then believe it. This is gonna be the strangest chapter, I'm warning you now. But it'll all come out in the end, so please keep reading and please, please, please REVIEW! If you take the time to read this far, you might as well review it! Please? Please!!!!

They were all seated in a lopsided circle, around a roaring fire. It was just getting dark and the cool air of the woods made the hair on Sirius's neck stand on end. They had adjourned to the Forbidden Forest immediately following Lilly's 'request for help'. All of them had needed the fresh air to take a breather.

James and Lilly sat hand in hand on a stump. Sirius, sitting nearby, threw rocks into the cackling flames. The Weaseleys lay down in the tall reeds; Molly on her stomach and Arthur on his back. She was gently stroking his arm, while he caressed her hair. To their left sat Frank and Alice on an overturned tree. They were whispering excitedly and staring into the forest nervously. Lucius rested his head on a big stone and glared at them from across the fire, causing them to stop their conversation. His fingers were numb, but he refused to share the hearth with his 'companions'. 'Damnable mudblood lovers', he thought to himself.

Arthur sat up suddenly. "So…" His eyes were closed. He was thinking. Rubbing his temples with his left hand and speaking with the right, "So Lilly and Alice are…No. Wait. Frank and Harry got you girls… Honey, help me out here." He looked to Molly for assistance.

"Well, you're doing a good job dear, go on."

"O.K." He took a deep breath. "Let's skip to Lucius. Why are you here again?"

Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "Look, Arthur. We've all said why we came to you already. You of all people should grasp this. Now tell me; can you help Lilly and I or not?"

"Honey, it's not a disease," Molly began, "It can't be cured. It's… It's a gift really."

Arthur still looked unsure. "So, wait a minute… James and Lilly, you two are absolutely… Lilly is definitely--"

"Pregnant," James finished, "yes."

"And James…" He continued, "you're the one that got her… It was you who made her--"

"Pregnant," Lilly finished.

Arthur nodded several times, uncontrollably. "Yes, yes, right. Good, good, good-good, perfect," he babbled. "Then, Alice." He changed his gaze. "Alice is also--"

"--Getting seriously annoyed," Sirius added with a smirk. "Look, Arthur, is it so hard to understand? James got Lilly pregnant. Frank and Alice are pregnant. Even Lucius and Narcissa are going to spawn a… well…their going to spawn something. You didn't learn all of this in Magical Reproduction for Third Years?" He smiled good-naturedly. "All they need from you is some advice. The only advice I had was wearing a rubber, and completely forgetting about women (the plague on mankind). Yet apparently, he ignored all of my good advice! Nothing personal ladies; and no offence Lilly, you know I love you." Sirius took a breath of fresh air, and collapsed back down to the ground, having finally spoken his mind.

Lucius stared into the fire; James and Lilly looked as though they had expected the outburst as an inevitability (as it was a daily occurrence); Alice and Frank looking at each other; and the Weasely's gaping at Sirius, who had returned to throwing objects into the licking fire.

"Well, that certainly puts everything into perspective," Arthur began. He was interrupted however from a voice behind him, chilling him to his bone.

"Mr. Weasely! I hope you have some good advice for all of us, because apparently we're all in the same boat." A shadow crept over the fire, and Professor McGonnagal sat down beside them.

"It looks as though our children will have many friends," she smiled. A frown then covered all traces of humor from her voice. "But by Merlin's beard, do any of you students actually some to school to learn!?!?"

AN- That was 4. Weird, I know. Disgusting, yes. Please review!!!!!! Did you like Minerva's "Mr. Weasley" thing? If more people don't write reviews I'm giving up. 400 of you read it! Now review it! (especially if you liked it, it will give me the incentive to finish it.)


	5. Orig Summary

Original Summary.

AN- I changed the summary to make it more likely to be read, but this is the original summary.

Most people don't get a second chance, but those who do get this rare gift must chose between continuing in the path they were heading, or changing ways... For better or for worse. What happens if good and evil both get a chance at redemption? Will they switch sides or will one remain a truly powerful constant?


	6. B Day

AN- this is the real chap 5. Umm… Just one thing to say; do not stop reading this fic because of how weird chapter 4 was. It will all get resolved and make sense in the end. Also there will be no more teen pregnancies and only mention of Dumbledore's child. If you liked the beginning, you'll love the rest of it, trust me… Or don't, as long as you still REVIEW!!!! Tx.

One year and 9 months later…

"…Happy birthday to you," the chorus of adults finished.

Three children sat at a large table in the center of the Great Hall. Although they were only about one year old, several distinguishing features were apparent on each one. One of the two boys was plump and tall, with eyes squinting out of the extra skin on his face. A touch of red hair crept out of his scalp, making his head look almost trollish; though, nonetheless, he was as handsome as his father, who now picked him up and placed him on his lap. The little boy screamed a cry of pure annoyance as he reached back out to the seat next to his best mate. Arthur Weasely sighed and put young Ron back in his high chair so the boy could continue making faces at the birthday girl with his friend.

His friend was a skinnier, shorter baby, although still full of baby fat, with flawless skin. Even his forehead was as smooth and clear as the night sky…(without the stars). His father absently picked him up to get a better view of the birthday cake, holding the child's head up even with his chest. Turning around, the young boy stared not at the cake, but instead at James' beautiful necklace. It was a lightening-shaped engagement present given to him by his fiancé. (They were just old enough to wed, but would marry immediately following the school year, so that Minerva and Dumbledore could attend.) Lilly had put all of her motherly love inside of the medallion shortly after giving birth to Harry, and made James promise that he would pass it down when Harry was old enough. Until then she felt that it protected her future husband because she was always with him.

"Honey, you're drooling," Lilly cooed to the baby in front of James. Harry was transfixed on the lightening bolt, and as she brought her hand to his mouth to wipe the drool away, he gazed into his reflection on the shiny necklace.

James ruffled Harry's shaggy hair with one hand and spoke to Lilly. "I thought you were talking to me," he joked, "why don't I let Harry hold it for a little while." Lilly agreed and handed the necklace to Harry, before putting him back in his seat. Directly across from the Potters sat Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonnagal. Their wedding was scheduled for a week after the Potters'. Albus was grinning at his beautiful daughter like an idiot. He was simply astounded and infatuated with his lovely family. Minerva held his hand and stared off into the distance, smiling and reflecting on the same thought.

Although the birthday girl was the youngest of the three children, she was the only one capable of producing magic. After watching her mother and father for several days, she observed their every move and taught herself to use this supernatural entity for the benefit of her parents. By simply raising her hand, the young girl changed her own diaper and helped Minerva cook. In fact, after months of trying to teach their daughter to say "momma", the child's first words were "winguardian levioso."

"It's a shame the Longbottoms are in the Auror department all day. Neville would have loved this party. He's such a sweet boy." They all murmured in agreement, still staring at their children, in turn.

After the cake was served and devoured by the parents, (and scattered across the room by the birthday baby and her friends), the birthday guests began to depart. The Weasely's left first, handing their gifts to Minerva and saying their goodbyes. Ten minutes later, James Potter stood up. "Well I guess we'd better be going. See you next week, it was fun. Come on Lilly."

Lilly stood up to follow her husband. "Goodbye Professor Dumbledore! Goodbye Professor McGonnagal! Happy B-day Hermoine!"

AN- Yup, Hermoine is the love child of Dumbledore and Minerva. Don't worry it'll work out and make sense with the book in the end!


	7. Death Foretold

AN- Wass everyone surprised at the end of chapter 5, (or just offended)? I'm aware that Rowling's origin of Hermoine is diff. but give me time and it will work out, I already have that part written. Anyway, sorry I have to jump around time for this fic, but it is really just an explanation of gaps in the books and untold stories. One last thing… REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Did I mention I need you to REVIEW?!?!

By the time the Potter's had returned to their secret home, it was close to midnight. "I told you we should have taken a port key or flu powder James."

"How was I supposed to know the Gremlin Bridge would be out?"

"It was wizarding rush hour! I suspect you also didn't know that everyone else would be flying their cars home from work! It was bumper to bumper traffic, you're lucky Harry didn't cry the whole time!" Despite the uproar, Lilly couldn't help but smirk at her husband. "You're just a typical man; you couldn't even stop and ask that seraph if we were getting off at exit 32 and 2/5 or 32 and 2/3!"

It was James' turn to look smug. "Well at least I would have been able to find the map without having to empty out my entire purse! What do you keep in that thing?"

"Remains of my ex-husbands who asked too many questions and got lost much too easily..." she joked. James wrapped his arms around Lilly from behind, making her squeal in delight.

Harry was already sleeping upstairs; James' medallion around his neck, and the lightening bolt symbol resting squarely on his forehead. He had fallen in love with the cold-metallic feeling of it on his smooth skin and had pressed it onto every large area of his body, from his feet up. By the time he pushed it against his forehead he had collapsed in a dreamless sleep with a tired smile on his face.

-------------------------------------

Three hours later, Harry awoke to a loud sound downstairs, followed by screaming. Staying perfectly still, he glanced at the door, too afraid to cry, nor move. With a heavy grunt and thud, the door smashed open, shattering wooden fragments throughout the room.

One of these xyloid pieces landed inches from Harry's head, piercing his pillow in an explosion of fluffy cotton. Lilly ran into the room after the door had cracked completely and stepped in between Harry and the now open door. She raised her wand, and pointed it into the hall. "James, hurry!"

Coming from out of Harry's line of sight, James limped into the room, dragging one leg behind him, breathing shallowly and drenched in blood… Most of which was his own. He collapsed in the corner of the room, facing the door and also raised his wand to the corridor. Red, green, and black bolts flew into the room from the open door, two glancing off the floor at James' feet, and one landing above his head, chipping a large piece of plaster from the wall. Seconds before it could crush him, Lilly spun her wand around and shouted "reparo," fixing the wall, and never taking her eyes off of the door. James was firing spells into the hallway acting on the offensive, while Lilly continuously cast "protego" charms.

Groans and cries of pain issued from the hallway, before an outraged voice thundered two horrifying words. "Avada Kedavra," he snarled. A flash of green light shown in Harry's bedroom for a second, making him squint. He opened his eyes only to find his mother screaming spell after spell back into the hallway, each one reflected by the snarling voice's counter-curses.

Lilly cowered slightly, enabling Harry to see a shadow march into the doorway, surrounded by several smaller silhouettes. "It'ssss no ussssse Evanssss," he hissed, "you're outnumbered, ten to one. Although I don't know what Trelawney'ssss profeccccy wasss. I know it wassss about your boy. I will not be the Kronussss to your Zeusss! He even wearssss a lightening bolt, as the final insssult! I thank you Pettigrew for leading me here, but now the choiccccce reliesss on Lilith. Ssssave yourssself. I will not follow. Jussst leave and I will not follow. Either way your boy will die. Sssseverussss, hold her while I take the child."

The young wizard on his left did not move for several seconds. He looked unsure, before finally walking over to do as his master commanded. Pin-straight hair fell across his pale face as he edged his way forward, but was stopped by Lilly's quiet whimperings.

"What did you sssay Evansss?"

Lilly whimpered quietly again. Then she picked up her head, wiping tears away from her dark face and even darker eyes. "I SAID, over my dead body!!!!"

Pettigrew snickered and Snape fell back into line with his master. "That can be arranged," the snickering mouse-faced Death Eater called out.

Lilly rose to her feet and ran to Harry's side, ducking under the spells cast at her. Raising a wand to the lightening bolt medallion Lilly pressed it against his forehead. She bent down and whispered "I love you Harry," into his ear, and then shouted "Protego ultimo" with her last dying breath, as a bolt of green light swam towards her. Riddle lowered his wand, blowing green smoke off of the tip, and smiling.

As he approached Harry, Lord Voldemort lowered his hood, causing the baby to gasp. The pale, pointed eared murderer had no nose and a long, forked tongue. He was a monster by every sense of the word. Staring into those red eyes, Harry saw the pupils dilate. "No one will ever defeat me… I am INVINCIBLE!!!! AVADA KEDAVRA!"

At first it seemed as though nothing had happened. No green light issued from Riddle's wand. However, seconds later, Harry screamed in pain as his necklace began to bubble on his forehead. The wails continued, even as the lightening bolt melted into his skin.

It was then that Voldemort's midsection began to glow green. The neon light shone out of his black cloak and shed an eerie bright luminance over the entire room. It spread in all directions, engulfing his entire body and drenching the house in its emerald radiance. When all of the dark lord was hidden under its green glow, a bright white light blasted out of him. When its blinding brilliance was finally extinguished, it imploded on itself, converging on a shrieking Tom Riddle; leaving behind Harry, the Death Eaters, and a smoking cloak… Nothing else. Lord Voldemort had vanished.

For several seconds the Death Eaters remained there, blinking the dots out of their eyes, gaping at the spot their master once stood. Suddenly, as one, they turned and fled the house, shrieking cries of pure horror. By the time Hagrid got there, aside from Harry, (still crying at the necklace molded to his head), the house was empty.


	8. SCAR

AN- last chap was powerful right? A change from joking family to …. Well massacre. Anyway, getting good again right? Lol. No more teen pregnancies… lol. Almost to the end of the fan fic I guess, just gotta explain a few more holes and end perfectly. Also, I might add a chap in between two and three, who knows… If you do know, then you're in my head!!!! Stop reading my mind!!!! As always… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Minerva!!!!" The door slammed closed behind the aging wizard. His half-moon spectacles shone red, reflecting the flaming torches lining the corridor. "Minerva," he repeated, even louder and more nervous this time. "Minerv—"

A face appeared on the staircase, over the second story's wooden handrail. "What is it Albus," a worried voice questioned nervously, "is everything O.K.?"

Dumbledore disappeared downstairs in a puff of red smoke, and reappeared in a flash behind McGonagall. He rushed to her side and held her, embracing her as if letting go would cause Minerva to disappear from existence forever. "I'm so happy you're O.K. Where's Hermione?" he asked, still holding onto her.

"Upstairs sleeping, what's going on?" Before she could even utter these last words, Dumbledore was gone in another puff of smoke, reappearing beside his daughter's crib. If she had been sleeping previously, all sign of it was gone. Hermione lay down in her bed, with her arms grasping the air, and flailing her legs as she uttered a single, infinite cry. Her forehead glowed neon blue, and illuminated inside was the outline of a navy lightening bolt. What was going on?

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Miles and miles away, Ron Weasley had just woken up. He felt a slight stinging on his forehead and immediately placed his hand there. It was just a dull throb, not excruciating. Then he felt a true pain, and a deep fear. An icy hand held his fragile heart and darkness crept in all over him, surrounding and engulfing him. He could FEEL the black hatred of a million damned souls and the pain was unbearable. Still, despite all of these horrid emotions and throbbing aches, all young Ron could see in his mind was the smiling face of his friend Harry. He could no longer clench his jaws to conceal the insurmountable anguish welling up within him. It was a pain in his very soul, and he had no choice but to scream out his cry. It cut through his parents like otherworldly icy daggers. The scream was… inhuman. Arthur was the first to barge through the door and attempt at comforting his son.

A golden lightening bolt gleamed on the young Weasley's forehead and an eerie yellow light spilled o'er the room, along with his cry.

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No one was near enough to hear Neville Longbottom's initial cry of despair. The only two people in the house remained on the ground floor, under broken glass, and staring up at the ceiling, through unmoving, unblinking eyes. Frank and Alice Longbottom could not comfort their son. They could not comprehend what was happening. They could not see; they could not hear. They could not think; they could not feel. They could not cry; they could not drool. They were not comatose; they were not dead. They just WERE. Hence, no one saw the bright purple light shining from Neville's room, nor the glowing violet lightening bolt that appeared temporarily on his forehead.

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In the Malfoy house, Draco and his mother slept soundly. His father was out late working for his new employer, and was just now returning from the Potter's house. Lucius kissed his son on the forehead before picking him up out of bed, and brining him over to his crib. Leaving, he saw that Draco had begun to smile in his sleep. As soon as he left, Draco's forehead illuminated green sparks. At the very center, scrawled out in neon green, was the image of a small snake. The snake and light soon disappeared, leaving him alone in his bedroom, smiling slyly. He had not stirred, and would continue to sleep through the entire night.

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All throughout England, four unearthly screams of pain, fear, and … something else, rang out over the night sky, spilling on every household, breaking windows, moving furniture, and waking entire families. It wasn't for several hours later that the cries finally stopped… and NO ONE was able to fall back to sleep.

-----------------------------------------

"Albus, what has happened?!?!" McGonagall demanded, once Hermione had gone back to sleep and the mark had vanished from her forehead.

Dumbledore sighed. "There is no easy way to say this Minerva. The dark lord has acquired a plethora of information from some past 'students'. Severus, my trusted spy and ex-pupil, has given me four names. Master Crabbe, Master Goyle, Mister Malfoy, and Most disturbing of all is… Peter."

Minerva gasped. "Pettigrew? And Malfoy too? But you were best mates with his father!!!"

"He blames me for Tellius' death and has joined the ranks of He Who Must Not Be Named just to spite me. But Wormtail is the real problem. He knows the hiding spots for two of our Auror families-"

"You mean… Oh no… Someone must warn the Potters and the Longbottoms! I shall leave at once…"

"Minerva… It is… Too late. Hagrid has just retrieved the two children, somehow unharmed, despite Riddle's knowledge of Trelawney's prophecy. He is bringing Neville to his grandmother, who will no doubt accept him with open arms. However, you must go help convince the Dursley family if they refuse to look after Harry. They are sadly his only living relatives."

This was all too much for McGonagall to bear. "We can watch him. We can take him in as our own. We owe it to the Potters…"

"No, Minerva. We have troubles of our own to discuss now."

"Wait, what happened to Sirius?"

"Fudge thinks Sirius brought the Dark Lord to the Potters' home. He is also accused with the murder of Pettigrew and several muggles---"

"WHAT!!!!" McGonagall could not hold her anger and surprise inside any longer! "How can this get any worse?!?!?!"

"Sit down Minerva, there's one last thing we must discuss."

Tentatively the comely wizened wizard sat on the bedside, next to her future husband. She had no idea at all what he was about to say, but feared the worst, and rightly so. Removing her hat from atop her shaking head, McGonagall waited for Dumbledore to go on.

His gaze on the floor and his head down, Dumbledore spoke bluntly and slowly. "It seems that everyone I care about is dying at the hands of The Dark Lord. I can't risk losing someone even closer to me. Hence, I can not have anyone closer to me until Lord Voldemort is dead. Minerva, everyone I love openly is at risk…"

McGonagall sensed Dumbledore's next words before he uttered them. "We can't get married, and in truth, it would be best if… if we stopped seeing each other-"

Minerva rose and stared at him with a fiery ambition blazing behind her eyes. "No! If you do that, the Dark Lord wins. We need more love in this world, and Merlin knows you do too." She was crying now. "And I need you Albus. I … love you."

Dumbledore arose, also blazing in the heat of a passion he could not quench. "Minerva, my mind is set. We must remain merely headmaster and teacher at this school. No one must know that we were ever something more."

McGonagall had already accepted her fate as an inevitability. She closed her eyes and cried internally. "What of our daughter Albus? What of Hermione!?!?"

"No one can ever know she was ours. When she goes to school she will be the connection between us, but until then, I am selecting a suitable family for her."

"How can you say that? How can you think you are helping a child by pushing them away! That isn't love, its cowardice!!"

"Would you rather she die? Would you rather we all die at the hands of the Dark Lord whence he returns? This is my ultimate sacrifice; pushing away the only things I love in the world."

"She won't understand. She'll grow to resent you. How do you think Harry will feel without a proper family?"

"Safe," Dumbledore answered, as he stood to leave McGonagall's chamber for the last time. "Like Harry, Ron, and Neville, they will not meet again until they start school. Their past connections must never be revealed." The conversation was over. He paused at the doorway before venturing away. Wiping a single tear from his eye, Dumbledore finally continued in a brisk walk out of Minerva's chamber.

McGonagall watched him leave. "I will never love anyone again," she called after him. He smiled through his tears and thought 'I will never love again in this lifetime.'

They were both right.

AN- Sad little chapter. More about Hermione's past next chap. A lot to REVIEW about, so please REVIEW. Thank you to me frequent REVIEWers, and those who favorite me. If it wasn't for you guys, I would have given up my now because no one REVIEWs.


	9. Home

The sun had just reached its apex in the cloudless sky when the couple walked into the red-brick building. The room's pastel-colored walls eased the mood a little bit, and allowed for the child they were carrying to stop crying. As they approached the front counter, a chiseled old man with a gray suit and a forced crooked smile greeted them. "Welcome to the Ministry of Unwanted Girls' and Guys' Living Exchange adoption center," he repeated in a feigned intrigued voice. His mundane job had caused him to repeat this line even in his sleep. "How can I help you?" he asked, shuffling through some papers to let it known that he was relatively busy.

"We're looking for a special section in the MUGGLE adoption Center," the woman from the couple declared. She was rather young, as was her companion. Despite the fact that they didn't hold hands, nor wear rings, the grisly receptionist guessed that they were lovers at one point.

Her companion had graying hair, unevenly falling to his waist. His beard was untrimmed, and he wore a heavy glass spectacle. (They had increased in depth since his conversation and decision with McGonagall.) His eyesight had weakened; his hair and beard were signs of his deteriorating care for sanitary health; and above all else, the wise sages' mind began to succumb into a near insanity. He was still a genius, but a love-starved crazy genius. It was just a senility that had impeded his brain, but one much too strong for a man of his age. No one would ever have known that his physical, mental, and emotional health lapse all had to do with the cute little girl he held, and the beautiful young woman beside him. Was it better to have been 'loved, and lost than never loved at all'? Not in Professor Albus Dumbledore's opinion.

The gnarly old man, suddenly stopped shuffling his papers. "Not you people again," he whispered, his fake smile turning to a frown as he creased his brow. He looked around the room to make sure they were alone. "Do you know the name of your 'special section' sir?" he questioned skeptically with arched eyebrows.

"I have it right here…" The man with graying hair stumbled, looking through his pockets going from one to the other. "I know I have to prove that I'm a wizard, but I can't find that name. I know I have it somewhere. I know… Will turning you into a toad suffice as the test?" he asked quizzically.

The old man grew pale. "Yes, yes. I believe you, no need for that. But we must take precautions, you know. If anyone were to find out that we mixed our children with… well with your children… I can't even think about what would happen."

He walked them to an elevator marked 'out of order'. "So," the young man asked, before he stepped in to follow his 'family', "what keeps you from telling your friends about this whole setup."

The man smiled a genuine and bemused grin, "two things. First of all, I don't have any friends. Secondly, if you were a muggle, would you believe me?"

The door closed on the elderly gent as he walked back to his seat, doomed to a life of complete privacy and solace, aside from the occasional client, and the much anticipated Orphan Reunion Christmas Party… Let's face it he was miserable.

Inside the elevator Dumbledore chuckled to himself. "Oh here's the name I was looking for." He held up a piece of blackened parchment. "What do you know; I had it in my hand the whole time? I guess I didn't have to frighten that old chap after all." McGonagall snickered at her ex-fiancée's new sense of humor. Even in the face of tragedy, Dumbledore found himself able to make jokes nowadays; possibly because nothing would ever hurt him as much as his poor decision.

Minerva looked at the slip, and then at the buttons on the door. "Ah, here it is," she pointed to the 'pi' symbol, "floor 'pi', Wizarding Infant Zoo of Acceptably Rare Diaper-wearers."

"WIZARD? MUGGLE? These names are starting to really annoy me. Who writes this stuff? It's like some teenaged loser sits at home reading our life as a book and then tries writing a fictional story, as a fan, to try and fill in gaps, or develop characters, or put said characters into bizarre scenarios." He took a deep breath. And began gasping.

"Albus, you have an incredibly active imagination. If we were in a story, could this 'author' possibly be able to fill in plot holes or discrepancies by saying, 'yeah, but it's because of… ummm… magic?' Oh, I see your point."

Minerva was still pondering this interesting, though delusional thought. If this was a story would I be able to pull readers out of the story mode for a minute with a completely ridiculous dialogue, like the one I'm having right now? Exactly!

AN- Sorry, back to the story.

Later that night, a young couple took Hermione home with them. They had a large front lawn and a white picket fence. Dumbledore looked on from the distance, behind a thick layer of trees. This was for the best. True, they would visit from time to time, disguised as a mailman, a wayward delivery boy, a housecat, even the Mexican Gardener, Pedro. Every time, Hermione would cry for her true parents to take her back, and every time they left her a small present under her pillow. A month later, she forgot about them completely. Dumbledore thought this too, was for the best, and his visits became less frequent.

For Hermione's second month living with the Granger's, (once she was settled), her new parents invited the entire family to visit. First to arrive, and last to leave was Hermione's new uncle. In fact, 'Uncle Mike' as he tried getting her to call him, didn't leave for almost a year. He was convinced that there was more to Hermione than met the eye.

"Mike, stop this foolishness. I know you're my brother but nine months is enough. Go back home, I'm sure the bills are piling up. Hell, you have a wife!"

"She's probably just realizing I'm gone now. Bloody booze'ound 'at she is. Anyway, my life is full o' unimportant 'fings. I've got no job, a boorish missus at 'ome, and no kids'a call me own. 'Member our dear cousin sis? 'Member wot she were? She were a bloody witch! And 'er parents got 'er from a same adoption agency as you 'ere gor 'ermione from! She might be one of 'a normal kids, true… But wot if she I'nt? Wot if she's a witch too?!?! 'Ell I know she is!"

"Mike, first of all we're from London, so drop the bloody cockney accent. Secondly…"

"Thou churlish fen-sucked maggot pie! I'm awful sorry gov'nor but if I ever wan' a go from 'n out-o-work actor to 'a real 'fing, I gotta keep 'a accent. 'Ell, fish an' chips, take the bobby to 'a lorry an' 'frow 'em in 'a brig!"

Mrs. Granger hit him atop the head with the roller she was making cookie dough with. "Hermione hasn't done a single magic thing since we got her. Every incident that happened, as few as they were, were… well, coincidences that they happened around her."

"Coincidence 'fat 'appened around 'er!?! Coincidence!?!? At 'fat first family gav'ering I said you shouldn't 'ave put 'fat ugly bow on 'er. I tried takin' it off, and 'coincidently' my car flew up the block and exploded. An' let's not forget about 'fat poor dog 'at chased a cat up a tree. Poor li'l bugger…"

"Nothing else happened around her… just about. If something ever happened to her that was obviously witchcraft, we'd all know. I'm a good mother. I'm HER mother, and I'd know if my daughter was a witch. I'd know if she said anything funny, like a spell. I'm HER MOTHER!!!"

"But she's never spoken, how do you know she doesn't know any spells?"

"I know, and 'would' know because… I'M HER MOTHER!!!!!!!"

Mike promptly, stalked across the room and stomped over to his niece. "Mike what are you doing?!?!" Mrs. Granger was startled, and Mr. Granger was still at work. Mike hefted Hermione up and, holding one leg, brought her to the open window.

"I know she's a witch, and I still love her. Why can't you accept that she's a witch and that she can cast spells?!"

"I know she's not a witch and can't cast spells because… for the last time… I'M HER MOTHER!!!"

Mike let go of Hermione's ankle, making her mother scream. "Winguardian Levioso," a little voice cooed, causing the child to float in midair, hovering back over to her crib where she had been sleeping. "Sorry about the car Uncle Mike."

Mrs. Granger, who was still in shock, and whose previous screams of 'I'm her mother' were still lingering in her throat, was silent. "Well in all fairness," she said after a minute, "she was adopted."

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20 Miles away, a wide-eyed woman woke up in a drunken stupor, surrounded by the remains of a long party. Empty booze bottles littered the floor and the furniture. "Mike," she asked in a throaty, frog-like voice, "where are you honey?"

AN- Lol. Do I sense some dry wit and light sarcasm? I love that chapter ending! "I'm HER MOTHER!!!" "Well, in all fairness she was adopted."


	10. Dream

AN- This is a dream Dumbledore is having, regarding the origins of some of the ghosts. It also explains later developments such as the Bloody Baron's control over Peeves.

Dumbledore returned to his bedroom at about half-passed two in the morning. He was wet from head to toe; yet the moisture was not from the storm raging outside. He missed Minerva… He missed Hermione. Dumbledore was nostalgic for love lost. Putting his wand to his temple, he once again drew out his memories of happiness and joys past, and placed them delicately into a large swirling pot; his pensieve.

Sighing contently, he fell into a long and heavy sleep. This was his first real rest in weeks and his dreams were powerful. They pressed again every corner of his mind and felt ready to burst from his skull. Yet, he slept on.

--------------------------

He awoke at daybreak several hours later, and rose out of his bed. Scratching his back and stretching, the good professor stood up straight and walked over to the bathroom. Funny, his back hadn't felt this good in years, he was able to stand fully erect and felt a whole foot taller.

Once in the bathroom, Dumbledore's eyes shot open, knocking the remaining sleepiness from his brain. He was staring transfixed into the mirror. There, before him, stood a thirteen year old version of himself. He touched his face, and felt the impossibility. His skin was smooth, his mind was clear, he had never experienced love… He was at home.

Before he could even attempt to use his thirteen year old bowels, the door flew open, (a shame too, because he hadn't been able to go to the bathroom easily since he turned 57.) In stormed a pale, skinny boy with long scraggly hair and a pimply complexion. He held a small kitten in his right hand. "Where is he? Where is that little troublemaking sprite?!"

"Filch, what are you doing in here? You know you cannot come into my dormitory without my permission."

The oily-haired boy sneered at him. "My father is the caretaker in this old crappy castle, and as his apprentice I can go anywhere I want."

"This is my castle Filch, now leave at once."

Filch stared at him for a second. "This is not your castle you snobby little wizard. Just because you have more power than me doesn't make you superior! This castle belongs to the headmaster, and as such…"

"I AM THE HEADMASTER!!!!"

"Riiiight…" Filch mumbled, backing away slowly and eying Dumbledore suspiciously. "Just do me a favor and tell your little roommate I'm looking for him, Albus." He closed the door behind him.

"That's **_Professor_** Albus… eh… Dumbledore!" The 'headmaster' shouted to the closed door.

No sooner had he finished his outraged yell, than a small spirited voice cackled behind him. "Thanks for covering for me Alby! I didn't think you had it in you, you goody-two-shoes. Haha. You OWN the castle, that's rich, that's bloody brilliant. God, I hate this place. I hate this castle, I hate Filch, I hate my damned brother and his stupid friend!" A small boy appeared from out of the closet. "Guess what I did to make Filch so mad… Guess!"

"Pe-Peeves?"

"What's wrong Alby? You're a crazy roommate; you look as though you just saw a ghost!"

For the first time Dumbledore took in his surroundings. He and a young Peeves were alone in the Gryffendor male dormitories. By the time he turned back to face Peeves, he was already throwing stink bombs around the room.

"Oh little brother!?" A voice boomed from the door's entrance. "What did you do to that mousey squib this time?!?!"

Peeves cackled with laughter. "You can't come in here… you're a slytherrin! You act like a king… a baron… a bloody baron!"

The older boy from the doorway stepped forward, causing Peeves to sit still from jumping on the bed. He was silent. "Sorry, I'll be good. I promise. Don't 'knock some sense into me' again. Please, I'll be good, honest."

"Who **_did_** let you in?" Dumbledore asked the older boy, who smiled and stepped aside, never taking his eyes off of his small brother. There, standing behind him was Nick.

"As a prefect, I felt I could let my bloody best mate in to 'visit' his brother. He promised me he wouldn't hit Peeves anymore though, don't worry."

"Why are you still here at Hogwarts?" Peeves questioned. "I thought you just wanted to be a knight when you get out of this hell-hole."

"I will be a knight for the ministry, but for now, I have to learn to master my magic."

This earned another outburst of laughter from the scrawny young wizard. "You know the aurors will make knights obsolete. The only thing they'll need you for is to fight off axe-yielding muggles or something! Hahaha!"

His older brother stepped toward him again, clenching his fists. "You make fun of my best mate again, and we'll see whose laughing. He WILL be a Ministry Knight!"

Dumbledore looked at his three old friends and finally understood. He was dreaming about his own years as a student at Hogwarts. Yet, how were the images so crisp and pristine. Unless… He must have knocked over his pensieve before falling to sleep. His head must be in the pot! The wizard was suddenly worried now. If he was right, the only way to escape would be to finish the memory… or be trapped forever if he attempted to change the recollection.

Suddenly, the entire world grew fuzzy, drowning out the brotherly argument. A loud clicking sound filled the air, and Dumbledore looked around nervously. 'What is that noise?' No one else seemed to notice, and their colors faded into one another, becoming nothing and everything at once. Everything was black… Yet everything was filled with a blinding white. Once again, it felt as though the good professor's head was about to burst like one of those cheap muggle horror movies he loved so much as a boy.

Shapes abruptly appeared and finally the ticking stopped. Color filled the world, and then came the animation, following sounds. "Filch told me what you did Peeves, you horrid little brother! That is unforgivable!!! How could you do this to him; to this school; to me!!! I denounce you as a brother. I denounce you as a wizard! I denounce you as a person! No one can go that low! There is still slime all over the girls' bathroom! The great hall smells like moldy cabbage! The headmaster is huddled in the corner, crying like a baby! And we still can't get the prostitute and the velociraptor to stop fighting on the chandelier! Hell, the flying nun in a tutu is trapped in a painting with a narcoleptic midget Mormon laughing at her, while being torn apart by Frederick the great of Prussia's third grade teacher's mother-in-law's neighbors gardener and a fleet of navy warships from the future, captained by the future Michael Jackson!!!!!

"Yeah, but I liked the younger Michael Jackson more!"

"You little maggot! Giant ants have eaten the headboy! Communism has come to England! Communism has left Cuba! Pompeii erupted and Atlantis sank into the sea! Dogs and cats are making cuppies and dittens all over the castle. Elvis has initiated a zombie outbreak! Emril and Alf are cooking up nuclear bombs and aliens have invaded Soviet Russia and abducted half of our prefects! The president is a clone of a monkey…"

"No, George Bush is a president from the future, and he was already like that…"

"Single mothers are crying in the streets from your pregnancy charm. Some are as young as three. Old people are driving; it's become illegal to be named 'Filch', and Gandhi won't come out of my closet! Am I missing something?"

Peeves thought for a second pensively. "Yeah, you forgot the pyramids and Yeti switching places and sizes!"

"And the sky is now… a slightly lighter blue; which I actually like more, but still! And all of this happened from one little prank!?!?!"

"Yeah, go figure. It was the domino effect, I swear!"

"I'll show you the domino effect!" The elder of the two ran forward, and, grabbing Peeves in a tackle, accidentally sent both of them flying out the window.

The whole way down, Peeves was screaming, "All I did was say Madonna's butt looked fat in those paaaaaaaants (splat)!"

Dumbledore sat, watching the spectacle silently. He had to fight himself from stopping the conflict. Knowing that, had he interfered, he would be stuck in the pensieve forever. The saddest thing he ever did was watch his two friends plummet to their deaths from the balcony of the Gryffendor common room as a young boy, (aside form the recent development with his wife and daughter.) As a child, the whole thing escalated too quickly for him to react, but now, knowing what was to unfold, and willing himself to do nothing, was truly tragic. Staring down from the window, Albus saw a crowd had gathered around two circular pancakes…His pancakes; ahem… friends.

Exactly two years from this day, the newly knighted Sir Nicholas would leave on his first mission, only to have his head nearly cut off from a muggle axe-wielding maniac. Dumbledore, meanwhile, was still cleaning up the mess his roommate had created around the school… To this day, the Great Hall still reeked of moldy cabbages.

AN- Why does Peeves fear the Baron? How did the Braon get his name? etc.? etc.? Exactly!!!


	11. The plan

AN- ONLY FOUR CHAPS LEFT!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!! ITS ALL I HAVE TO LIVE FOR!!!!

The Plan

The unbreakable vow was cast. Malfoy had failed. It was up to Snape.

In the eve before his death, Dumbledore met with his murderer. The assassin sat across from him, draped in a long black robe, imitating death itself. Dumbledore's dark blue cloak paled in comparison to its sinister and foreboding presence. The guest slowly drew himself forward from the shadows at the corner of the room, coming into the faint candlelight, and illuminating his ghost-like white face with a dim luminance. In turn, Professor Albus Dumbledore shook the rain out of his hair and turned in his chair from the billowing wind behind his elegant drapery. Wiping water from his spectacles, he began to speak slowly.

"So… You understand the plan? This is your most dangerous assignment yet, and you have already proven your loyalty to me. This will be our last communication until you are a safe distance, and settled into your new home with the Death Eaters. Hence, I urge that you ask all questions now, for who knows when it will be safe to speak again-"

"Professor," Severus interrupted, "this is all unnecessary. I will merely not fulfill my vow, and give my life as punishment…"

"No!" Dumbledore boomed, "You have my orders. Albus Dumbledore will die to the world tomorrow night right after Harry and I destroy another one of Riddle's Horcruxes. When you 'kill me', you will be given a place of absolute power under the Dark Lord; the perfect position for you to spy on the locations of the last Horcruxes."

"I have one more question before we practice our acting one last time…"

"Go on Severus…" Albus coaxed.

"You can not fool the Unbreakable Vow. If I do not kill you, the vow will not break, and I will still be indebted with my life. Faking your death may trick the Death Eaters, but not the vow itself."

"A very good question my friend. But, you just let me worry about that," he said with a smile. "Now shall we begin?"

"I trust you with my life, which you now hold with the fate of the vow."

"And I you, with my life, which you hold with your acting. Now let's start at the top!" The wizened professor stood at one side of the room, Snape hidden at the other. "First I freeze young Harry and keep him hidden. Then, I wait for you Death Eaters to catch up. When you get here, what do you do?"

Snape stepped into the light of the chamber once more. "I outstretch my arm and utter the killing curse."

"But…"

"But I don't mean it. I hold no bad emotion within, emptying my body of all foul thoughts, making the curse a mere harmless bolt of green light."

"And what are you thinking soundlessly during this exchange?"

"…Expeliarmus!"

"This pushes me back a few feet with a wordless curse and the green light of avada kedavra."

"And I fall down, playing dead while you make a hasty escape."

"It'll be over in five minutes, tops."

They embraced in a brotherly hug. "Our lives are literally in each other's hands. Act. Act for our lives!!!" Dumbledore whispered sternly but with affection. He then ended the embrace, pushing Severus out of his room in a hurried air. Turning back to the window, the old professor meditated, ignoring the icy winds and freezing air caressing his face. A cold was the least of his worries. 'Tomorrow night,' he thought, 'the curtain opens, and closes for the last time.'

In the teachers' living quarters, Severus Snape finished packing his clothes into an old worn-out suitcase. He sat in bed and looked at the clock. Then, sighing, he raised his sleeve and caressed the insignia on his arm. 'I hope he knows what he's doing', reflected Snape, 'tomorrow the world will think I killed the Dumbledore, the greatest professor and wizard in history.'

Little did he realize that the world would be right.

AN- ONLY FOUR CHAPS LEFT!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!! ITS ALL I HAVE TO LIVE FOR!!!!


	12. Vengeful Students, Murderous Teachers

AN- Still don't believe me? Go to h t t p / w w w . b e y o n d h o g w a r t s . c o m / h a r r y – p o t t e r / a r t I c l e s / d u m b l e d o r e – c l u e s . h t m l for more proof! "He's Alive!!!" Also; REVIEW DAMMIT! LOL!

Vengeful Students, Murderous Teachers

"Then, by the light of the Mark, he saw Dumbledore's wand flying in an arc over the edge of the ramparts and understood… Dumbledore had wordlessly immobilized Harry, and the second he had taken to perform this spell had cost him the chance of defending himself."

Professor Dumbledore stared, white faced and weak; but nonetheless unafraid. This part of the plan required his knowledge of adolescent psychology, and most of all, luck. "Good evening, Draco," he spoke to his assailant.

"Malfoy stepped forward… nobody has been murdered?" (HBP 584-590)

"Someone's dead," said Malfoy. Dumbledore's stomach rose and his heart crept into his throat. Because of him, one of his own people was dead. He had not anticipated that another might fall victim to the Death Eaters.

"One of your people...I've got no choice." (HBP 590-591)

"He can not kill you if you are already dead. Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more-I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight and hide her likewise. Nobody would be surprised that you had died in your attempt to kill me-forgive me, but Lord Voldemort probably expects it." Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eye at this point. The weakness in his soul was beginning to fade as he told Malfoy the same thing he was now performing with Severus.

"Nor would the… Draco, do it or stand aside so one of us-" (HBP 591-595)

At this precise moment, Severus Snape burst through the door, scanning the scene within the shadows of his black hair. Dumbledore heard nothing more. His plan was coming into fruition and he slowly backed up, closer and closer to the wall's edge. He sensed a hesitation in Severus and beckoned for him to get on with it, all the while, moving closer and closer to the spot of his inevitable downfall. "Severus… Please…"

Snape gave a slight nod, unnoticed by all but Dumbledore. He then shouted the last words Dumbledore would ever hear in this life, "Avada Kedavra". The weak professor was thrown backward, and because of his new position, he flew over the edge of the wall, slowly disappearing from view as he close his eyes and braced for impact. The ground grew steadily closer and he anticipated the meeting.

He was dead before he hit the ground.

-----------------------------------------------------

(Rewind into Snape's view)

Severus Snape stormed through the door in a fit of absolute terror. One of the Order members was dead and he was about to "kill" the head. He was also worried that with everyone thinking Dumbledore was dead, the Order might seek him out to get revenge. How could they survive without a leader? As soon as he stepped through the threshold, he was overcome in the cold billows of air.

His cloak was caught in the draft and raised its crests like rolling waves as he stood, silent and powerful. There, before him, his prey was barely standing up, hunched over, whispering his name. The draught from the drink had had a much stronger effect than they had thought. It was time. "Severus…"

What was he doing? Why was he backing away towards the wall? This was not part of the plan. He had to do it before he got any closer to the edge. Raising his wand, Professor Snape imagined holding the position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He smiled, but quickly shifted it into a sneer for the theatrics, and wordlessly thought "Expelliarmus." The wordless spell was cast and before it released itself from his wand, he muttered audibly, "Avada Kedavra!"

The effect was flawless. A quick burst of green light shot from out the tip of his wand and vanished into Dumbledore's torso, knocking him backwards. He had conjured the green light trick with a little help from the real Mad Eye, in preparation for this night, shielding his scarlet "Expelliarmus" with a neon glow. Without the proper emotion, saying Avada Kedavra really did nothing more than push a person a little, however, his wordless spell gave the real effect that Dumbledore was pushed back a few feet from a truly powerful "Avada Kedavra." His job was done; they thought he was dead, but really… Where was he?

Flying backwards, Dumbledore floated over the precipice of the tower for three long seconds before falling to his death.

He had killed Dumbledore. But why had he moved so close to the edge, knowing the disarming spell would push him back further! The realization hit Snape square in the face as he pushed Malfoy away, and he in turn, sped around and fled. Before he closed the door, he heard what sounded like sobbing coming from the empty corner away from the door. Was someone there? With no time to spare, he continued running down the stairs and out of the balcony, leaving behind the wounded and the dead. The Dark Lord would have much rejoicing tonight, despite the deaths of several poorly trained Death Eaters.

'Albus, you fool', he thought as he charged across the lawn, following Malfoy and several other Death Eaters, dodging spells and incantations as they flew across the empty field. In order for the effect to look realistic, Dumbledore had actually killed himself. He knew that Snape's spell would throw him away, and intentionally stood far enough away that he would be pushed over the side and fall to his death. This was the only way the unbreakable vow could be destroyed. Snape would have had to really kill the good Professor or face death himself for breaking the invulnerable oath.

Dumbledore died so he could live.

AN- OK. First I was going to have him not die at all, but a 100+ foot drop would probably kill you regardless, lol. Anyway, now I think he does die… but there is still more to his story. Dumbledore's life has ended, but a new one is yet to begin. REVIEW!!!!


	13. Jean Grey's Alter Ego

AN- O.K. This story is finally completed and I'm very disappointed in all of you. Barely anyone has been reviewing. I've given up on humanity. You're all &$ing &$s. LOL. Anyway, please review…. PLEASE… PLEASE!

AN2- This chapter takes place in between Harry hearing Fawkes crying, and Dumbledore's funeral.

Jean Gray's Alter-Ego

Over the castle, mourners felt more than heard the cries of a lost Phoenix. It was a futile attempt to bring the dead headmaster back. Hagrid and Minerva had already sealed his tomb tightly. They too were in on the plan, and made certain that the coffin was placed over a small hole in the ground… An entranceway easily accessed with help from the Marauder's map.

The bottom of the coffin, too, was made of a light wood, paralleling the concrete prison exposed to the public. Dumbledore had only trusted these two with his full plan, and they were ready for action.

Fawkes cried over all of Hogwarts; his tears falling to the ground and creating new growth. Trees sprang up by Hagrid's cottage, allowing the Forbidden Forest to spring forward several feet, and enabling animals faithful to the good Headmaster to join in the mourning. Even the Centaurs came, sticking their heads through the low roughage, causing Hagrid to roll his eyes. "Bloody 'ypocrites." Yet, despite his surprising calmness on the exterior, Madame Maxine, who had made a long journey to attend the funeral, noticed several small tears trickle down his beard, and feed the fertile soil. She embraced him in a long and relatively painful bear hug.

Still, Fawkes cried on. He had lost his master, and his best friend. The depressed Phoenix realized that his cries could not save his dear owner, but he continued to weep.

Halfway through the funeral, Fawkes finally stopped. Several hours of flight had severely weakened him, and he knew he would soon fall from the sky. Stretching out his wings, to glide to a death similar to that of his departed friend; he spotted the white casket which incarcerated his beloved master in front of a group of crying wizards, and magical creatures alike. Now was his time. He had to finish the plan just as he was ordered. Soaring above the audience, he looked like a real fire bolt, finally crashing into the coffin before anyone had seen him in the air. There, he died, and his tears dried up along with his body, and the casket. Yet, Professor Dumbledore did not burn up along with them. As the fires licked at the sides of the sarcophagus, Dumbledore arose from the ashes of his Horcrux. A Smokey Phoenix of Ash flew from atop the coffin, blocking everyone's sight, as he jumped through the secret passage in the bottom of the box, and slowly made his way to his chamber. There, he met Professor McGonagall, already waiting.

"How did it go?"

"Apparently, using Fawkes as your Horcrux worked, because you are still here. Nobody saw him crash, so they just thought we lit you up with magic to give you a Viking funeral or something."

"It took me some time, trying to remember how to walk, but I have my full memory restored now."

"One thing still needs refreshing…"

"What's that?"

She leaned in and kissed Albus, who resisted initially and then longed for her to linger in his mouth. When they broke the embrace he was still filled with euphoria.

"Well, now that I am dead, we can live together again. Of course, you have to be the body in charge of the Order, and the Headmistress of the school, and…"

She shushed him by kissing him again. This time, they did not end the loving until early the next morning, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione knocked at the door.

"Professor McGonnagal… You wished to see us..?" They gasped when they saw their dead Headmaster enter the room, carrying a tray with five teas in it. There was much rejoicing; many tears fell; and several jovial slaps to the back of heads were administered.

"You can't do that! I'm still the Headmaster!"

"That was for fooling us into believing you were dead. It nearly killed us thinking you were gone."

"Plus, you're not the Headmaster anymore," Ron chimed in. "So beatings can be administered now that you are dead."

"I'm not dead… I was… mostly dead, and now I'm back."

"Yeah," began Harry, "how did you pull all of this off?"

"Well, I believe now is as good a time as any… Hermione, did you ever think that there was something a little strange that you are such a gifted mage and yet you were Muggle born?"

Minerva began to tell them the story of love lost, murder, death, violence, magic, and superstition, but she was interrupted when Dumbledore pulled Harry aside. "Harry, now that I am officially dead, I can only help you from the sidelines. Minerva, however will be our messenger until the Dark Lord is vanquished and I can return. Do you understand? Also, after you have heard this entire story, you will see why it is imperative that you must let your true love surface. Do not hide it any longer… You must tell her…"

Before Harry could protest, the dead professor went to the adjoining room to make more tea. Sitting down in his seat again, Minerva started her story one last time.

"Many years ago; 'Expelliarmus!' Albus felt, more than saw the red lightening bolt whiz by his ear, landing ten feet in front of him, and throwing up a cloud of dirt…"

The End of the Beginning; and the Beginning of the End.

This story was dedicated to Albus Dumbledore; Loving father, husband, headmaster, teacher, and friend. The Once and Future King.

(and to the threeish people who actually reviewed.)

AN- Dumbledore returns as Dumbledore the White! (LOTR, Gandalf the Gray/White) Get it? Idiots. Review! LOL. It was a lot of fun writing this story and I look forward to writing another one someday. However, for the moment, I have to wait and read the reviews. It's been a real ride and I hope you all enjoyed the story which with any luck will be proven in the last book, (though not likely).

Until my next story, "I see you shiver in antici………………………………… ……………………………………………………………..pation."

Love, Ravenpair


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